Until every one comes home | The Magazine of the USO

After serving three combat deployments, Army Major Mike Erwin
came home and saw something that needed to be fixed.

Army Major Mike Erwin“I saw a
lot of my friends who were people that I had served with in Iraq or
Afghanistan kind of struggling to make the transition out of the
military,” Erwin said. “I saw a lot of them letting go of
themselves. They stopped working out and started eating unhealthy,
drinking, smoking—just unhealthy behaviors that just don’t lead to
happy and productive lives.”

Upon returning from war, Erwin was selected to go to graduate
school at the University of Michigan, drawing an assignment that
would keep him stateside for five years. Instead of looking at it
like a break from the intense stress of deployments, Erwin saw the
window as an opportunity to make a difference. He wanted to build
an organization that enriched the lives of veterans by connecting
them to their local communities through exercise and social
interaction.

With his wife, Genevieve, due to deliver their first child,
Erwin founded Team Red, White and Blue in the spring of 2010.
“Looking back on it, it was crazy. Who takes $5,000 and gives it to
a lawyer to submit IRS paperwork when your wife could give birth
the next day?”

Erwin wasn’t alone on the project. His wife supported the idea
and understood this was something her husband needed to do.

“She’s was like, ‘You know what, you need to do this.’ We
collectively thought that it was an idea that had legs,” he
said.

Team Red, White and Blue members participate in a USO-sponsored yoga camp in Naperville, Illinois, in September. Photo by Joseph TangErwin built a Facebook page and
talked about Team RWB to anyone willing to listen. The group gained
supporters and grew in its first year, but the momentum accelerated
when the group was profiled on NBC’s “Today Show” in
2011.

“When we were selected … I realized there’s a compelling human
interest component to what we’re doing,” he said. “We’re trying to
give American citizens, whether they’ve been in the military or
not, a chance to connect with veterans.”

Since 2011, Team RWB has taken off. The organization now boasts
more than 23,000 members and 64 chapters worldwide. It holds
numerous athletic camps and events designed to bring vets,
active-duty troops and civilians together to interact and challenge
each other. Running, rock climbing, hiking, CrossFit and
triathalons are among the sports featured at Team RWB events. The
organization also partners with the USO on trail running and yoga
camps.

The participants at these events cover the athletic spectrum. At
any given Team RWB event, one may cross paths with a world-class
athlete, a disabled veteran and a civilian who just wants a chance
to work out with a group of vets. The organization prides itself on
being inclusive and it’s become a pillar of Team RWB’s program.

“We do that for a reason. … We believe that building a community
requires inclusivity,” said Erwin. “We have people who’ve never
been in the military who want to get personally involved. We have
people who are on active duty and we have a lot of veterans who are
already out of the military. What we do is just really basic. We
bring veterans together with people in their community.”

Team RWB is looking to expand its membership, add chapters in
new locations and add more sports to its menu of options. And, for
a group whose membership is mostly comprised of active-duty troops
and veterans, it’s no surprise the members are looking to serve.
The group is working with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the
Special Olympics and other nonprofit organizations.

“Our belief is that veterans who are better connected in their
community will not only be happier and lead healthier, more
productive lives, but they also will become a stronger asset to
their community as leaders,” said Erwin. “We’re helping veterans to
be better connected so they can serve their communities better,
both now, but more importantly, five, 10 and 20 years down the
road.”